3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standardization work groups are considering the adoption of specifications enabling wireless communication network operators to deploy 3rd Generation wireless communications core networks, e.g., Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) and/or a Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs), that share access networks, including spectrum and/or radio control entities, e.g., a Radio Access Network (RAN). Sharing radio access networks enables network operators to accelerate the deployment of new technologies, for example, 3G wireless networks and to obtain access to radio spectrum that may not be available otherwise.
The 3GPP TS 22.011 & 23.122 specifications state procedures for Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection by a mobile station (MS) through access in a radio access network (RAN). These selection rules assume that the radio access network is connected to a core network that is under control of a single network operator. The TR 23.851 communications report addresses the general topic of network sharing and contains information about core networks sharing a common wireless radio access network.
In some radio communications protocols, the network system information message has limited space available to communicate the identities of multiple core networks sharing a common access network. In the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications protocol, for example, the system information block (SIB), which is part of a broadcast message, has insufficient space for the identities of multiple Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identities sharing a common radio access network (RAN).
The various aspects, features and advantages of the disclosure will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description thereof with the accompanying drawings described below.